August 2024 Margot McNamara

I grew up in South Portland and have lived in Maine my entire life. In 2004, when I was 38, I was living in Windham with a brand-new house and a job I loved counseling adolescents with substance use disorder. Then, in an instant, everything changed. I was suddenly very sick and went to tons of doctors before I was diagnosed with a rare blood disease, thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (also called TTP). The plasmapheresis treatment for my TTP caused an allergic reaction, and I had three back-to-back strokes.

Right after my strokes, they thought I would never walk or talk again, but here I am. When I first started going to outpatient rehab, I was so scared, but they worked with me. I attended Bayside Goodwill NeuroRehab intermittently from 2006 to 2024, and in 2016, I received the award for most improved client, which was a huge honor. The mayor was there and lots of people from the community, and it was an incredible experience.

It has been very difficult, but I work hard to advocate for myself. You have to work hard to get others in your corner to help, and sometimes you just have to be the squeaky wheel.

Over the last 20 years, I have worked hard to recover. I live in Gorham now with my significant other of 13 years, Robert. My strokes have made me a nicer and more empathetic person, and I am now going back to school so that I can return to counseling and help others who have experienced brain injuries. Even though I couldn’t communicate for a long time, my brain was still active. People thought I was dumb, but I was still in there, and I want to work with other survivors so they have someone who gets it supporting them. I want to help people, and this is the new purpose I am working towards.